


Minkowski Has a Dog Named Torpedo (And Jacobi Named Him)

by straweleon



Category: Wolf 359 (Radio)
Genre: F/F, First Kiss, Minkowski Doug and Hera all live together, Minkowski has a dog, One Shot, Post-Canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-21
Updated: 2020-12-21
Packaged: 2021-03-11 00:02:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,671
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28205790
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/straweleon/pseuds/straweleon
Summary: Lovelace dropped off the face of the earth about three years ago. The fourth anniversary of the Hephaestus crew's arrival back to earth is coming, and Lovelace shows up on Minkowski's doorstep out of nowhere. She also nearly gets knocked over by Minkowski's dog.
Relationships: Isabel Lovelace/Renée Minkowski
Comments: 8
Kudos: 21





	Minkowski Has a Dog Named Torpedo (And Jacobi Named Him)

**Author's Note:**

> Right, so this is rated T for swearing but not much else. Had a conversation on Discord about Minkowski having a dog, and it stuck with me. So here this is! First fic here, I'm hoping it's a good one.

Lovelace stares at the screen in front of her. She’d pulled up her old email address, one that she was using before going up to the Hephaestus. No one should have been able to get that email, she hadn’t given it out to anyone, and yet.

**Minkowski. This is the last email, I’m sending you.** Here’s our addr… 10/25/19

2019\. Twenty-nineteen. It’s 2021 now. Minkowski sent that email two years ago, and it has her address there, where she’d apparently just moved to at the time with Doug and Hera. Huh. Husband issues, then.

It’s funny. Lovelace didn’t know what to expect upon opening an old email address that honestly could have been discovered by anyone determined enough. She’d stayed in contact with Minkowski and the rest of the crew for about a couple of months after everyone had gone their separate ways, then she kind of just cut contact. The whole time she’d been far, far away from everyone else, using Goddard money to survive, so it was kind of easy to just stop communicating.

She kind of wishes she hadn’t stopped now.

Reading through the emails, besides that last one, there are six. Seven total emails from the commander, spanning from about a month after Minkowski lost contact with her until late 2019. Mostly, it’s the general “what happened, we’re all worried about you,” kind of thing. Lovelace was expecting that. It took her by surprise that in a later email, Minkowski wrote “even Jacobi is slightly worried about you”.

It’s the email from September 22nd, 2019 that she finds the most interesting, the second-most recent one. It’s the last one she reads.

**R. Minkowski  
** _Hey, Isabel. It’s been over two years since the first time I tried to contact you this way, and I think that the best case scenario here is that you haven’t used this address in years. The two other options are that you are seeing this and just ignoring me, or you’re not in a state where you can see this. My mind keeps straying to that last one, and I really need to know that you’re okay._

_Just message back with absolutely anything. I just need confirmation that you’re there. Whenever you see this. Our home is always open to you, Captain. Come and see us anytime, but first just tell me that you’re okay. we miss you._

Well then. Minkowski definitely planned for that to be the final email until she realized that she hadn’t sent an address. “Minkowski, I’m okay,” Lovelace says these words almost out of obligation for her former commanding officer. “Minkowski,” she repeats. “Renée? No, I- Minkowski.” That’s a name she hasn’t said in years. That’s a name she’s _thought about_ , though for years.

Well, Lovelace decides. Time for a road trip.

It’s 22:30 when Lovelace arrives at the address. She’s never really been too nervous about seeing people, save for job interviews. This is different. She’s showing up at the doorstep of people that she left behind and ignored years ago.

It’s a few minutes later when she sees the front porch light turn on and decides that she probably looks pretty fucking creepy just sitting in her car. Either Doug or Minkowski is up and she has no excuse to just sit out there anymore. She opens the car door and makes her way to the house. The porch light is still on, but otherwise it’s dark.

The front door opens and something comes barreling towards her. The thing isn’t big, but it almost knocks her off her feet. She hadn’t expected the thing to be that fast. It barks and shoves its nose into her sweatshirt pocket and takes out the burrito she’d barely eaten. It then retreats to the porch and lets out a contented grunt. Its owner’s voice comes, and Lovelace sees her step out onto the porch and look at the dog.

“What the hell?”

Lovelace’s heart is racing. She rehearsed this speech on the car ride here, she can do this. “I am so sorry. It is absolutely my fault that I didn’t stay in contact with you guys. If you-”

“Lovelace?” Minkowski hadn’t even looked in Lovelace’s direction until she’d started speaking. Of course, Minkowski hadn’t even seen her. It’s too dark for that. And then their eyes lock.

“Hey, commander.”

Lovelace steps onto the porch, and doesn’t know what the hell to do. The dog is happily scarfing down the half-eaten burrito, tail wagging like there’s no tomorrow, and Minkowski is just standing there. Looking at her.

Lovelace pretty much just stands there as well, debating whether to shake Minkowski’s hand or hug her or _what_ until Minkowski pulls her in and hugs her. Tight. Lovelace puts her arms around Minkowski and hugs back just as heartfelt and fierce.

They are standing there, holding onto each other like that until Minkowski trembles.

“Minkowski? Are you okay?” Lovelace asks this softly, in such a way that she is even surprised at her own tenderness. She traces circles into Minkowski’s back, giving another point of contact, and she can feel Minkowski shaking now.

“Me, Lovelace? You’re asking me if I’m okay?” Minkowski says after a beat, her voice slightly quivering. “I thought you were _dead_. I was so damn worried about you, and you couldn’t- you…” Minkowski trails off and sinks into Lovelace’s embrace. Softly, she rocks Minkowski from side to side in the hug, trying to calm her down, trying to do anything good right now.

That’s when Minkowski’s dog barks. Lovelace looks at it from over Minkowski’s shoulder. Evidently, it wants more burrito.

Minkowski pulls away.

“Hey. Tor. No more food tonight, okay? You’re getting fat,” Minkowski chuckles. It’s a sad laugh. Lovelace places a hand on Minkowski’s shoulder, slightly worried of Minkowski not wanting anymore physical contact. Thankfully, Minkowski relaxes to the touch.

“You named your dog Tor?” Lovelace asks.

Minkowski studies Lovelace for a second and she hesitantly softens. “No, we call him that because his given name is stupid.”

“Huh. What’s his given name?”

“Daniel named him Torpedo and then gave him to us.”

It takes a second for the name to register. “Of course Jacobi would,” Lovelace laughs.

“He’s actually here right now,” Minkowski replies. “Everyone went to bed early tonight, tomorrow’s the… you didn’t come because of the anniversary, did you?”

“The anniversary?” Lovelace asks. Oh. Tomorrow would be four years since they’ve gotten back to earth. That’s just over three years since the last time she’s seen Minkowski. Or Jacobi. Or Doug. “What about Hera?” Lovelace asks.

“Oh, she’s inside,” Minkowski replies. “Being a house is a lot different than being a space station, but we’ve worked it out.”

“That’s. Good,” Lovelace replies. Minkowski sits on the steps and Lovelace does the same. Tor comes up to sniff Lovelace and ends up laying down beside her. They sit there.

“God,” Lovelace’s voice shakes, “why are we just sitting out here? It’s freezing.”

“Honestly? No clue, I’m just enjoying your company. It’s been a while, Isabel, you just left us. I’m going to have some feelings about that, but for now,” she sighs and leans into Lovelace’s shoulder, “I… I’m happy here. We go inside, and Hera’s there, and Daniel and Doug are asleep, and that’s just. A lot.”

Lovelace chuckles. “You want me all to yourself, huh.”

“Yeah, you wish. I kind of just want to make sure you’re still with us for a bit.”

“Either way, I don’t think that I can die,” Lovelace responds. She puts an arm around Minkowski’s shoulder. Because she’s _cold_ and that’s _it_.

Minkowski sinks into Lovelace’s arm. “We don’t know that.” She tenses. “You didn’t- no, you didn’t _die_ and come back, did you?”

“No, no, no, no way. To be completely honest, I’m not sure either. My alienness isn’t helping with this cold, though. You on the other hand? You’re like a furnace.”

Lovelace takes Minkowski’s hand. Because hers is cold.

Minkowski startles. “Holy shit, Lovelace your hand is so cold. Here-” she takes Lovelace’s other hand- “both of your hands, good lord. You’re freezing.”

“I dunno. I feel pretty warm here, Minkowski.”

“Renée,” Minkowski corrects.

“Renée.”

At that, Minkowski turns her head towards Lovelace’s. And- God, they’re so close, and Minkowski looks so damn perfect and Lovelace’s heart might have just stopped beating for good right there if it could have (she’s assuming that it can’t).

When Minkowski kisses her, Lovelace’s first thought is that she could have been doing this for years now if she hadn’t let go of contact with everyone. All Lovelace can really do now is kiss Minkowski back, and damn it all if it isn’t the best kiss she’s ever had.

“Woah,” is all Lovelace can say. “Honestly, I’ve been entertaining the thought of a reunion kiss for a while now, but I never actually hoped to make it. Actually, no. I just wanted a kiss from Renée Minkowski, so I hauled my ass halfway across the country,” she jokes. “I’ll be taking my leave again now.”

“Hey,” Minkowski warns. Lightly. “Don’t even joke about that.”

“Yeah, no. Not leaving. I was kind of hoping I’d have a new years’ kiss this year. Maybe stay for a while after that, if you’ll have me.”

Minkowski hums. “Yeah. Yeah, captain, I think that’s in the cards.”

“I’m assuming, though, that I’m going to get a formal talking-to tomorrow, sir?” Lovelace asks. She’s half-joking, she knows that Minkowski is still upset with her, but by how much is negotiable.

“Nope. Tomorrow’s the anniversary, we’re putting that off until the day after.”

“Can I kiss you until then?”

“Yeah,” Minkowski breathes. “As long as you stay, Isabel. I have so many feelings, a lot good, a lot bad, but I have feelings for you, and I didn’t mean to kiss you before, but I’m glad I did. We’ll deal with the crap later, but for now, just stay.”

“Yeah,” Lovelace says. She moves to hold Minkowski. “I’ll do that.”

**Author's Note:**

> Yeah, so this was actually gonna end with Jacobi coming out the front door and being like "holy shit these motherfuckers gay" and totally unfazed that Lovelace is there despite him not seeing her for years. Alas, I went with the sweet ending, but I want y'all to know that I did write some of that.


End file.
